Digital projectors, such as digital micro-mirror devices (DMD) and liquid crystal devices (LCD) projectors, project high quality images onto a viewing surface. Both DMD and LCD projectors utilize high intensity burners and reflectors to generate the light needed for projection. Light generated by the burner is concentrated as a ‘fireball’ that is located at a focal point of a reflector. Light produced by the fireball is directed from the reflector into a projection assembly that produces images and utilizes the generated light to illuminate the image.
The image is then projected onto a viewing surface. Misalignment of the reflector focal point causes degradation of the image since less light is captured and creates ‘hot spots’ on the screen instead of a uniform brightness. The alignment of the focal point of the fireball with respect to the reflector may depend, at least in part, on the relative alignment between the reflector opening and the reflective surface of the reflector. In conventional devices, once the burner has surpassed its useful life, the entire assembly is typically discarded, including the reflector.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements.